An Indian Express team begins a trek to Siachen and keeps you posted, every day.
One has flown low over the Siachen glacier so often that he knows it like the back of his hand and the other is more used to descending down to earth by jumping off aeroplanes and helicopters. Both form the ‘air force component’ of the Siachen glacial trek being organised by the army to promote adventure tourism on the highest battlefield in the world.
The second expedition to the Siachen glacier is largely a civilian affair – consisting of school students, mountaineers and media persons – but the trek has a small number of defence personnel as well. The idea being to showcase the hardships faced by soldiers on the glacier to the other sister services.
For Wing Commander Prakash, a Mi 17 pilot with 4,000 flying hours under his belt who is currently based at the Thoise airbase, flying to the Siachen glacier is like a daily jog in the morning.
The strapping pilot has made innumerable flights over Siachen since his posting in Siachen two years but the icy heights of the glacier and the Saltoro ridge have always remained a fascination for the aviator. His only regret being that he has never landed on the glacier.
So, when news of the Siachen expedition came to the Thoise airbase – located at a height of 10,000 feet between Leh and the Siachen base camp – the officer was first off the mark to put his name on the list of participants.
... contd.
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